To Suprass Her
by GuardianSoulBlade
Summary: Summary: She was a clone Palpatine had created in order to extract information about the Delegation of 2,000 but unlike the other clones, she escaped. Now she's trapped in the shadowy memories of Padmé Amidala, will she fall like the original, or will she surpass her?
1. Dawn Escapes

**To Surpass Her**

**_Summary:_**_ She was a clone Palpatine had created in order to extract information about the Delegation of 2,000 but unlike the other clones, she escaped. Now she's trapped in the shadowy memories of Padmé Amidala, will she fall like the original, or will she surpass her?_

* * *

><p><strong>Dawn Escapes<strong>

"Get up Clone 1138, get up!" the Stormtrooper snarled at her, gripping her upper arm and pulling her up.

This was her life, day in and day out, torture, questions, fire knives, electro-jabbers, interrogator droids, starvation, sleep deprivation, all for information from memories that weren't hers.

She was cold, so cold, she just wanted to feel warmth, her life was short as they'd accelerated her growth, poured information into her brain about "Senator Amidala", all sorts of information about her and her dead husband Anakin Skywalker, as soon as that stopped the torture began.

They placed her on top of the apparatus, the sparks burning her skin, pain was everywhere, agony filled her entire body.

She let out a scream, Motti chuckled with delight. She hated him, she wanted him dead, more than anything in her short existence.

The interrogator, a man named Conan Antonio Motti watched in glee as he plunged the knife into her leg.

"Tell us "Senator", who are your fellow conspirators?" he demanded.

"I am not Senator Amidala!" she snarled at him, groaning in pain.

He began to beat her with a shock prod, shocking her repeatedly. She fell to the ground, moaning.

_I just want to be free. Just for a little while, how many times have they cloned her, and made her endure this, she died so young…I just want to live._

Her eyes fell on something, a wire, a long, loose wire; she didn't need to be told what she should do with it.

"Amidala" suddenly grabbed hold of the loose wire protruding from the droid and wrapped it around Conan's neck, she pulled as hard as she could, she watched as he clawed at the wire, "I'm not Senator Amidala, she'd never do something like this!"

She kept pulling until she saw her captor's eyes bulge and he stopped struggled, stopped breathing. She let his body drop to the floor.

_I have to escape, I have to be free! No matter what!_

She dropped to the floor, playing dead as two members of the Red Guard rushed in. She lurched to her feet, going for the blaster on one guard's belt.

She grabbed it and fired, hitting one of them in the heart. He dropped dead.

She rushed the other, but not before grabbing the double vibroblade off the fallen guard. She swung it, attacking him. The original had been trained in weaponry, in all sorts of forms, so she could fight. The original had known some martial arts, including Echani.

She swung her blade to the right, he blocked it and struck back, she kicked him across the face, he backed up slightly, she elbowed him and swung right to left, he blocked a high blow and she swung toward his midsection. He jumped back.

She blocked a blow with the pommel of the blade and thrust forward, slamming the blade through his stomach.

"Please tell me you bastards have money," she murmured under her breath, they did have a few Imperial Credit chips on them, she was relieved, she wouldn't be completely destitute, she could start her new life somewhere, anywhere but there.

She quickly took off their armor and put it on, wrapping the bright red cape around her shoulders, placing the helmet over her head. She dragged the bodies inside the interrogation cell and locked the door behind them. She walked out the front door and headed towards the imperial shuttles at the docks.

She fired up the engines and took off, hoping no one would notice the missing Moff or his guards.

She had escaped the facility, but she was far from free, the Empire would be after her, after all, the Emperor wanted information from her, and no doubt he didn't want Darth Vader to get her. Having his "wife" back would only motivate Vader to kill Palpatine and take his throne; she would be hunted wherever she went. She knew that, but where would she go? She knew she wanted answers, so she'd go to Naboo, very quickly, she wouldn't stay there, no doubt the Emperor would be looking for her, but she wanted answers and she wanted them now.

* * *

><p>The clone kept the helmet over her face, Padmé Amidala was well known on her own planet and seeing her face again would no doubt shock everyone. She had arrived without fanfare and searched for the tombs of Naboo's royal family, having all the memories of the original did help, but she hated being haunted by a ghost.<p>

She made her way to the cemetery and opened the sarcophagus, she peered inside. Interred inside was indeed Padmé Amidala, the clone reached out and slowly reached inside and pried the japor pendant out of the hands of the corpse.

"I don't know why I feel I must have this, but I'm keeping it," she told the body. It wasn't like the late Senator could hear her.

She replaced the cover and left the building, slipping the pendant into a pocket.

_Why am I keeping this? I'm not Padmé Amidala. I am a shell, just a broken copy of her, and what am I to do? Go back to "Darth Vader"? Play beautiful wife and politician? That's not my life; I want my own life, not hers._

Her next place to visit, the late Senator's home, she was able to sneak past the guards, knowing their routs and enter the villa quietly, she found the original's room and searched a drawer, inside it, she found a Jedi cloak. She took it, the Imperial Guard armor would be too conspicuous in some places, this would do for now.

Her eyes were drawn to the statue of Shiraya, Naboo's Moon Goddess. She took it and tucked I into a large bag, she left the residence just as she found it.

She headed towards the space port and paid for travel offplanet, she was glad to be out of there.

"Where are you headed?" the old space pilot asked.

"Take me to Bespin," she replied.

"Your name Miss?"

"My name…." the clone hesitated, what should she say to him.

"Come on, your name," the old pilot pressed her.

"It's Juno," she replied, liking the sound of that name, "Juno Eclipse."

She arrived at Bespin where she settled down, found a house and lived there. She was going to be happy, her new life as Juno Eclipse was just beginning, she would not live in Padmé Amidala's shadow.

She took up sword play, wanting to learn more about how to use the double vibroblade she'd stolen, she was an astute learner, it came easily to her and she'd become quite skilled. She also took up piloting, hoping that she could get a good job somewhere, unfortunately, the well paying jobs were for Imperial Pilots at the Imperial Academy and she wasn't going anywhere near the Empire if she could help it.

Her life had settled down to some normalcy, except for the dreams, she hated her dreams, they were always about war, suffering and death and she'd often wake up screaming or crying.

She took to drinking, to numb the pain, she hated the memories that she shouldn't have, she wished she could forget them, but both Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skwyalker haunted her like the ghosts they were, she'd searched the Imperial records, they were both listed as deceased and she knew that Anakin Skywalker was Darth Vader, she didn't love him, she didn't understand how her original _could_.

She hoped she'd never meet Vader in person, he would probably kill her or force her to "marry" him, she would never do such a thing, he was a monster, Padmé was insane to love him, she promised herself she never would, after all, she was herself and no one else. She wouldn't pretend to be a dead woman. Her life was her own and it was going to stay that way.

One day Juno heard the rumor that an Imperial Transport Shuttle had been stolen. It was apparently up for grabs, and she felt she could use a new ship.

Juno hated the Empire, it was beyond oppressive and it was so hard to earn money, she had made the decision to become a smuggler, and why not? They earned more money than most beings did in their entire life if the job was right.

She approached the merchant, "How much do you want for her?"

"A good ship for 10,000 Imperial Credits!" the shop owner shouted.

"I'll take it!" Juno replied, handing him the Credit chip. He smiled.

"Congratulations, the ship is yours!" he glanced over at her. "What will you you call her?"

"The_ Rogue Shadow_," Juno replied.

"A good name for a ship," he nodded, he turned away and went back to his work.

She headed to a nearby tapcafé, to celebrate her purchase.

Juno bought herself a drink.

"Excuse me ma'am, are you a pilot?" a voice asked.

"Yes," she replied. "Why do you ask?"

"I would like you to transport me and my wife to Kashyyk," Jedi Kento Marek told her.

"Very well, it'll cost you 5,000 Imperial Credits, and that's a lot less than what other people charge."

"You've got a deal, Kento Marek replied. He paid her.

She took them to Kashyyk and returned without incident. Juno decided a small celebration was in order. She headed to the tapcafé.

She could hear the Imperial Officers talking amongst themselves.

"I heard Lord Vader took down a Jedi on Murkana," he laughed. "Good riddance, they were traitors who tried to murder the Emperor."

"I agree, Lord Vader is protecting us from them, to think they had so much power, now they're scampering into hiding like rats!"

Juno had the hood up over her face, she'd put it up when she'd seen them inside.

The Imperial Officers looked at her suspiciously. "Why are you listening to conversations that don't concern you?" the Officer demanded.

They made their way over to Juno, she crossed her arms.

"Speak up woman!" the Officer ordered.

"You and your group have nothing to fear from me. Why don't you return to your table and enjoy what's left of the evening?" Juno suggested.

The Officer pulled out a blaster, "Don't you know that when an Imperial Officer asks you a question, you better give a direct answer?" He pointed his weapon at her.

Juno stood to her feet. "I'll ask a second time—return to your table and you won't be harmed."

"Wha—?" the Officer snarled, "I'll teach you to—"

Juno reached into her cloak and removed the double vibroblade, she unsheathed it with a loud _shik_ sound and slashed the man's midsection all in one fluid motion.

"Let me pass and I'll let you live!" she hissed at them.

"Get her!" the other Officer shouted.

She stabbed him through the stomach. A squad of Stormtroopers entered the tapcafé.

"Stop or I'll—!" the trooper began, but she cut him with the blade through is forehead.

She whirld around, slashing another Officer's throat as she blocked a Stormtrooper's blaster shot with the blade.

Rapidly, Juno tore open a Stormtrooper's armor, slashing him in the side, even as she slit another's throat with the other blade. The squad of Stormtroopers lay dead at her feet.

She turned and left, it was time to lay low for awhile, she'd drawn too much attention to herself already. She left even as she saw another squad of Stormtroopers run towards the tapcafé.

* * *

><p>Lord Vader looked over at cadet Piett as the young man approached him.<p>

"Lord Vader, it's been brought to my attention that the Emperor is ordering an investigation into the suspicious death of Moff Motti."

"Why does this concern me Cadet?" Vader asked, uninterested.

"Because the Emperor is not involving you Milord," Piett explained. "As his enforcer, you usually head these investigations."

"Interesting that he would not involve me, thank you for this information Cadet Piett, I shall see to it that you will work under me from now on."

"Thank you, Lord Vader," Piett replied. He bowed and left.

_My Master is hiding something from me, but what is it?_ Vader wondered. The Emperor had his share of secrets, but something was going on.

He had Piett accompany him on his Star Destroyer the _Exactor_. They arrived at the planet Vjunn, where the Imperial Base was. Vader immediately noticed that one of the shuttles was missing.

_A prisoner escaped, they must be important._

Vader headed inside, he disembarked and headed inside.

A senior Officer approached him. "Lord Vader! You honor us with your presence—"

"Dispense with the pleasantries, Commander," Lord Vader snapped. "A prisoner escaped. Give me their identity and I'll pursue them."

"I can't Lord Vader, I'm under strict orders from the Emperor himself, the identity of the prisoner is known only to him."

"Then I have no further use for you, Commander!" Vader held out his fist, using the Force to choke him.

The man grasped at the invisible hands crushing his neck and he hit the permacrete dead.

"Have you found any information on this prisoner, Piett?" Vader glanced over at him.

"Unfortunately, Lord Vader, the security holos have all been erased and the dead bodies have been removed," Piett replied. "They're being very thorough hiding the identity of this prisoner. It's like they don't want you to find them."

"You're right; they don't want me to find them, which makes me want to know why."

"Lord Vader," Commander Appo approached him. "We took a sample of blood found in an interrogation cell. We have the results."

Vader glanced down at the datapad.

_Genetic Code Match: Padmé_ _Amidala. _

Piett and Appo saw the Sith Lord clench his fist, he looked up at them, "This is highly secretive information, no one is to know that I have information about this, especially not the Emperor."

"Milord, isn't she dead? I watched her funeral on the HoloNet. The entire galaxy did," Piett inquired.

"Yes Officer Piett," he replied, "We all watched her funeral."

He made his way back to his ship, a thousand thoughts running through his mind.

_Why would he clone _her_? What's the point? The Delegation of 2,000? It would be the only reason, he would never give her back to me, besides, it wouldn't be the same, it wouldn't _really_ be _her_. Clones are never the same as the original, I know that from experience. I _will_ find her. I have to, I don't care if it's not her. I _have_ to find her._


	2. Chasing Ghosts

_**Chapter Two: Chasing Ghosts**_

_**Author's Note:**__Never did a space battle, this'll be fun!_

* * *

><p><em>I'm out on the edge and I'm screaming my name<em>  
><em>Like a fool at the top of my lungs<em>  
><em>Sometimes when I close my eyes I pretend I'm alright<em>  
><em>But it's never enough<em>

_Cause my echo, echo_  
><em>Oh my shadow, shadow<em>

_Hello, hello_  
><em>Anybody out there?<em>

**_"Echo" Jason Walker_**

* * *

><p>Lord Vader heard an interesting report coming out of Bespin, apparently a cloaked figure had wiped out a squad of Stormtroopers. That it could be a Jedi, there were Imperials trying to keep it under wraps, he'd heard that they were trying to keep the Empire out of Cloud City.<p>

But more interesting to him was the news coming from the Naberrie Household, someone had stolen one of the statues of the Moon Goddess, it seemed trivial, but Vader knew, the clone had gone back to Naboo, even if it was for just a little while.

He wanted to purse the Bespin lead, but he felt compelled to return to his late wife's home planet, he needed to confirm something, as much as it pained him to do so.

"Captain Piett," Vader looked to the young Officer, it was nice to have a competent underling for once, not since Rex and Appo had he held a soldier in respect. Vader had made sure to promote him for his excellent work.

"Yes Milord?" Piett looked to him for orders.

"Have Admiral Ozzel look into the Bespin incident, discreetly, I shall be going to the Naboo System on personal business," Vader strode away.

In his meditation chamber, he contemplated what he should do, he recalled how he had once requested a special serum from the mad scientist, Jenna Zan Arbor, a serum to erase his memories of Padmé Amidala, but Trever Flume and Ry-Gaul had stopped her from giving it to him, destroying her datapad as Linna Naltree exacted her revenge bydosing her with her own memory erasing formula. It had been a close call, if he had taken the formula, he would have never discovered his wife's clone, surely this was a second chance, a new start they could have, it's not like he had cloned her as a replacement Gooberfish for his wife. It was his Master's mistake that would be his good fortune, he would win her back, he'd make her understand him.

Lord Vader landed his shuttle in the space port, he intended to head to the Naberie residence when he noticed a castle, just north of the city, it looked abandoned, but he was drawn to it. He headed there.

He made his way to the abandoned castle and was welcomed by an old man with a long, scruffy beard, he wore a hat.

"I rarely get visitors, you are the one they call Lord Vader, yes?" the old man was friendly to him, but he wasn't like the sycophantic suckups at the Imperial City, formerly known as Curascant, Vader actually felt at ease with the old man.

"Yes I am," Vader replied. Normally, he despised pleasantries and small talk, but he found that he enjoyed the old man's company, he felt like he could relate to him somehow.

He noted the easels and the paints scattered about the room.

"What do you paint?" Vader inquired, he could not quite see into the room.

"Please come in, My Lord, usually it is the beautiful suns and moons of Naboo I paint, but not today, come and see for yourself," the kindly old man ushered him in.

Darth Vader let out an audible gasp, scattered about the room, wherever there was room on the wall and even on the floor, were paintings of Padmé Amidala, and not just any paintings, works of art that truly captured her beauty, it was as if she were staring at him herself.

"She was a beautiful woman, Lord Vader."

"She was," he agreed, "The most beautiful woman in the universe."

"I saw her by chance at the bazaar, she never left my mind, I had visions of her, and her unborn children, so I felt compelled to paint her, to glean meaning from my visions."

Darth Vader was reeling, _children,_ his beloved Padmé had been carrying _children._

"These visions old man, what were they?" Vader knew all too well the power of visions.

"I couldn't figure it out, so she became my muse, I painted her, for twenty-four standard weeks, I did nothing but paint her."

Vader was glad that the old man could not see his facial expression as his badly burned mouth was hanging open under his mask.

"The visions of her death, I sensed she was in danger and returned to Theed to search for her, I found her fleeing Battle Droids, I knew I could not reach her in time, so I stepped in front of the laserfire and let them gun me down."

Darth Vader could say nothing to the old man. How could he, this feeble artist, do something he couldn't, even the power of the Dark Side?

"You are a better man than I am, you saved her," Darth Vader acknowledged. He handed him a Credit Chip.

The old man stared in awe, so much money, he'd be set for the rest of his short life, he'd have anything he'd ever want.

"Thank you, thank you, My Lord; I'm honored that you would give me so much."

"It is for the painting," Vader pointed at the one he felt had captured his Angel completely. "I shall purchase all of them."

Vader glanced over at him, "The children, what did they look like?"

"They were beautiful, one boy, one girl, twins."

"I see," Vader whispered, or it would have been a whisper even quieter than normal.

"You knew her Lord Vader," the old man commented.

"Yes."

You loved her, Lord Vader."

"More than anything."

"We all loved her, but you _loved_ her."

"Yes."

"I'm sorry you lost her."

"Yes, I am too," Vader took the single painting, "I shall have one of my officers come to retrieve the rest."

"Old man, what's your name?" Vader inquired, turning to look at him.

"My name is irrelevant," he replied. Vader didn't prod any further.

He turned and left. He placed the painting in his personal shuttle and returned to the business at hand, investigating the Naberrie house.

* * *

><p>He arrived in the middle of the day, he saw his nieces Ryoo and Pooja cower and hide away from him. He felt saddened by it, they had been nervous the first time he had arrived as Anakin Skywalker, now they were just scared of him, at any other time he would have relished fear, but not today.<p>

"Lord Vader, do you need something?" Sola asked nervously.

"Your family reported that some of the late Senator Amidala's belongings went missing."

"Yes, but I didn't think it was so important to the Empire."

"It is," Vader told her.

"I miss her, my little sister Padmé," Sola sighed. "I don't even know what happened to her."

"I know," Vader acknowledged. He turned away to examine his late wife's room.

Sola had to wonder what he meant by that, but Lord Vader was far too intimidating to ask. She decided it was best not to.

Vader finished the investigating, noting the missing statue of Shiraya, the Moon Goddess of Naboo. He recalled his wife had been deeply religious, having statues of the Goddess in her apartment, along with statues of the Goddess of Safety. She had often prayed to the Gods for his safe return from the Clone Wars.

Next he headed to the museum he'd erected for his late wife; he had to know if the clone had visited it. He made his way inside. He saw someone had pushed back the sarcophagus lid. He saw it immediately; the Japor Pendant Anakin Skywalker had given Padmé was gone.

He needed to get back to his ship, he had to investigate Bespin and hope that his Officers hadn't bungled it.

_Why would she steal the Pendant? Is she remembering her past? Or is she being sentimental?_

He returned to his ship to see a commotion on the bridge.

"What is it?" he regarded Admiral Ozzel.

"A ship called the _Rogue Shadow_ tried to leave the system, we have been trying to capture it, but it constantly evades us."

Vader reached out with the Force, he recognized the presence as "Padmé Amidala". "I will deal with your incompetence myself Admiral."

He headed to his TIE Bomber. He flew out to engage the _Rogue Shadow_.

He pursued the fighter intently. The pilot was very skilled, evading all his shots, it was becoming a nuisance.

_Padmé, surrender and I will protect you, I promise you. _His mind touched hers.

He heard a noise through a relay in his helmet.

"You promised _her_ that, and she's dead, and it's your fault! I'm _not_ her, I'm not your wife's replacement Gooberfish!"

Vader snarled angrily and adjusted the controls of his ship, he aimed at the _Rogue Shadow's_ shield generator. He anticipated that she'd start a roll and moved to intercept her.

Suddenly she swerved in the opposite direction, instead of spinning; she aimed her ship straight up, evading his fire.

She suddenly pulled back behind him, and fired off a string laserfire followed up by a barrage of missiles.

Darth Vader barely managed to avoid it all, she was good, not quite as good as he was, but he couldn't help but be impressed by her skills—

"What?!" he exclaimed as she once again came into view on his viewport, he barely avoided her as she flew her ship straight at him.

_She's trying to take me out with her, sorry, but I won't die so easily._

All over the open vastness of space he chased her, corkscrewing to avoid her shots. She wouldn't relent, he was secretly grateful the clone had no interest in joining the small pockets of resistance to the Empire; she would have been an asset to them.

She flew dangerously close to the _Exactor_, Padmé was clever and resourceful, they wouldn't be able to get the tractor beam ready and he couldn't fire on her without damaging his own ship.

"Impressive! Most impressive!" he complimented.

She was in front of him, he had her shield generator in his sights and was about to fire when she fired off a salvo of missiles from the back, hitting the wings of his TIE Bomber. He began spinning; he could hear the chatter of his Officers trying to pull him in with the tractor beam.

"I don't want your assistance," Vader snapped angrily. He didn't want any of his Master's lackeys sending him information about his wife's clone, he'd heard whispers of prisoner 1138 and he wanted to get a hold of her before his Master did, Palpatine would throw her away like trash and probably kill her in front of him to rub salt in his wounds, literally and figuratively.

He plummeted down to Bespin's surface, managing to land on an empty platform. Vader got out of his starfighter, glancing around for the _Rogue Shadow_. He saw the ship landing further away; she was running into the city. He pursued her, sensing her presence in the Force.

He followed her into a Carbon Freezing Chamber.

_An entertaining place for a fight, Padmé._

He found her standing at the top of a platform.

"Angels that are forced from heaven have to become demons. Isn't that right, Padmé?" Vader inquired, he activated his lightsaber.

Juno Eclipse looked over at him, activating her double vibroblade.

"I'm not an angel, I'm a shell, an empty shadow, you want me to _be_ her, and why should I? My face only causes you grief," she snapped at him.

They exchanged blows; he could hear the hum of his lightsber, the fizzle of her double vibroblade.

She aimed for his legs, he blocked it easily, she went for upper strikes at his head, but he kept up his defenses. He usually beat Jedi into submission, letting his untiring prosthetic arms do all the work. Or he would let the Jedi beat him back; feign weakness until they wore themselves out. Then he would remove their limbs, stab them through the heart, or decapitate them, whatever he saw fit.

Her movements were elegant, yet efficient, she wasn't like the Jedi wasting her energy twirling and flipping about, she was emotionally strong and focused, so unlike him, he could not goad her to anger, he knew that she did not take the bait like any of his other quarry.

She struck at him again, he blocked, tangling their blades until hers flew out of her hand. He leapt at her, she rolled away, executing a kick that knocked him off balance, she jumped over to where her blade was, jumping back to a higher platform.

"You're skittish, Padmé," he told her, he kept his tone soothing, trying to reassure her. "I mean you no harm."

"I'm Juno, _Juno Eclipse_, and I beg to differ Vader, you harmed the original, and this fight says otherwise."

He approached her slowly, a hunter stalking its quarry.

"Why do you choose to be hunted?" Darth Vader asked her.

A quick parry, a strong thrust, a vertical strike. She's been trained in swordplay, that's interesting.

"Why do you love me?" Juno demanded, her words stilled his heart and his blade.

Vader could not give her an answer. _Why_ did he love her? _Did_ he even love her? Did he just want her as a replacement for what he could never have? Or did a piece of Padmé's soul reside in the clone? In all his experience with clones he hadn't even entertained the idea that they had a soul to begin with. After all, they were all clones of Jango Fett, they didn't have his memories or his life. Many of them didn't even act like him.

But this was a clone of _her_, and surely if a clone were to have the soul of the original, _she_ would.

There was no parry or riposte, no defense against that verbal attack. He disengaged his lighsaber. He slowly knelt before her, he worshipped her as a Goddess, the center of his universe, she was to him as her Gods were to her. He had always wished for the chance to beg her forgiveness. Now she stood before him.

Juno Eclipse looked down at the dark figure, on one knee before her, not even touching her, head bowed in humility and acquiescence.

Words poured from its mouthpiece. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to. Forgive me. Forgive me…"

She could see one of his eyes; the helmet had been damaged in the crash. She could see his charred skin, black and blistered from being burnt off. She was expecting his eyes to be that hideous yellow from the original's memories on Mustafar, instead she saw one right eye, a beautiful blue, filled with sincerity, earnestness and longing.

_Now that I see him, I do pity him._

"She forgave you, before she died, I know that much. She never stopped believing there was good in you. Tell me why!"

She forgave him, why? She should hate him, her hate would make him stronger, he could feed off that, he didn't deserve such grace.

The grace of an angel. She was perfect and good, and he was neither of those things anymore.

He couldn't respond with an answer, he was speechless.

He saw Padmé, no _Juno Eclipse_ walk away from him and he realized one important thing. Padmé had never loved Darth Vader, she loved Anakin Skywalker. Was he worth resurrecting from the dead?

"Padmé!" He called desperately, reaching out to her. "Come with me!"

"You missed that chance, you could have gone with her, but you were only thinking about yourself!"

Her words pierced him like a lightsaber blade. Every word she said was true. She left him behind; he buried his face in his hand. He'd been so close, and yet so far away…

He managed to repair his TIE Bomber and head back to the _Exactor._ Captain Piett found him.

"Take these instructions and carry them out in the utmost secrecy Captain. Tell Lama Su that money is no object, that they must recreate everything I have specified, down to the last detail!"

"Yes My Lord," Captain Piett saluted.

Darth Vader locked himself away in his hyperbaric chamber, he was in turmoil. What was he to do? Anakin Skywalker had been a foolish, idealistic moron, he'd done everything the Jedi had wanted and yet he'd never been rewarded for it, they had not even granted him the rank of Master, he earned that! He deserved that.

Then it hit him, he'd been a gullible fool, it was his Master Palpatine's doing, why had he been so stupid? He'd always thought that Sheev Palpatine had wanted him in the suit, to trap him, he'd not foreseen the duel with Obi-Wan on Mustafar, but it was certainly convenient for him to have all this Sith Armor around.

If he had aided Master Windu, he would have destroyed the Sith Lord and the honor and respect he had longed for would have been his! The Jedi would have accepted him, granted him the rank of Grandmaster, the Republic his wife loved would've been saved in one fell swoop and the family had been excited to have would have been there!

"I was stupid! So stupid!" He moaned to himself.

Surely, he could start over; surely he could have a second chance. But he needed to escape, to get away from his Master.

He would have to mask his thoughts and it would take a great deal of planning, but it would be worth it.

_So how does a powerful Sith Lord fake is own death?_


End file.
